Bay of Plenty Times Year in Review: July 2021

Norske Skog closure Kawerau. Steve Brine, site manager. Photo / George Novak

The Bay of Plenty Times is looking back at the stories of 2021. Here's what made headlines in July.

July 2

Families were spending an average of 11 weeks in emergency housing in Tauranga, new figures revealed.

But one housing advocate was aware of people being stuck in emergency housing for a year, and some agencies said the long stays could be detrimental to mental health.

With a shortage of private rentals and 753 people on the waiting list for state housing in Tauranga, Government departments said efforts were being made to increase the supply and find homes for people.

Figures provided by the Ministry of Social Development under the Official Information Act revealed people spent an average of 11 consecutive weeks in emergency housing in Tauranga between April 2020 and March 2021.

In the Western Bay of Plenty, the average stretch was nine weeks and in Rotorua it was three months. Region-wide, the average was 13 weeks.

Full story here.

July 4

In a dim warehouse room, a machine that was churning out 1000 metres of paper a minute just a week previously was still.

There was no water or pulp coming in. The conveyor belt had already been taken off.

Two rolls of paper were mere specks in the large, gaping space in the room next door, once home to another machine.

Earlier that week, the Tasman Norske Skog Mill just outside Kawerau began to shut down after rolling out the final newsprint of its 66 years.

Cira Olivier took a glimpse inside the dying mill.

Full story here.

Norske Skog closure Kawerau. Steve Brine, site manager. Photo / George Novak

July 10

Standing outside Whareroa marae, more than 200 people from the far reaches of the world came together for what was believed to be the first migrant pōwhiri in the country.

The event was organised by Ngāi Te Rangi iwi. Before walking into the marae, guests were told the pōwhiri was "more than a welcome".

"We don't want you to be a pot plant and be here, but not really here."

The event was about breaking the pot and letting everyone's roots into the ground.

Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon was present as chief guest and said the migrant pōwhiri was "groundbreaking" and he wanted to see it more often.

Read full story here

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Jake Biray, from the Philippines. Photo / Cira Olivier

July 17

An "older adult" died in Tauranga after catching RSV, as cases of the respiratory illness saw hundreds turning up to hospital.

The cause of the adult's death was attributed to numerous underlying medical conditions, the Bay of Plenty District Health Board said.

Since the beginning of the outbreak in May, Tauranga Hospital saw hundreds of people with the virus, with 16 ending up in intensive care - 13 of them children.

The DHB said 270 cases had either been seen through the emergency department or admitted to the hospital since the first case on May 25.

Full story here.

July 17

If you're going to talk to a doggy daycare owner over the phone, be prepared for a cacophony of barking in the background.

Unlike our receptors, they're used to hearing dozens of dogs chase bubbles; play tug-of-war, and do zoomies - that sudden burst of energy where your pup runs around in circles.

As a nation of dog lovers - we own 851,000 of them - an increasing number are leaving their "surrogate children" at doggy daycare for up to 12 hours a day, in what has become a thriving industry.

Carly Gibbs went behind the scenes.

Full story here.

An increasing number of Kiwis are leaving their "surrogate children" at a doggy daycare for up to 12 hours a day, in what's become a thriving industry. Photo / Supplied

July 19

State Highway 2 has had the most potholes of any road in the Bay of Plenty, according to Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency.

Data obtained by the Bay of Plenty Times shows between 2016 and 2020 almost 6250 potholes on the local stretch of SH2 were repaired by Waka Kotahi contractors.

The section of road in Katikati recorded the most damage, with 1017 potholes repaired in the last five years.

However, the number of potholes on state highways in the Bay of Plenty has dropped.

In 2016 than 3700 local potholes were repaired. In 2020, this decreased to just over 2900.

Full story here.

This years wet weather has caused many roads around the Bay to have potholes occuring in them. Photo / NZME

July 21

Ammoto Roldan Lictao and his wife Elaine are living every parent's worst nightmare.

At 5pm on a Friday night they received a call from ambulance services telling them their daughter Dianne Lictao, 18, was in hospital.

"It was very sudden. We panicked. We're still in shock," Ammoto Lictao told the Bay of Plenty Times.

After the phone call, the Tauranga-based couple travelled to Auckland immediately.

"The nurse told us [Dianne] rang 111 early in the afternoon because of a headache."

But when paramedics arrived at her apartment Dianne was already unconscious.

Full story here.

Ammoto Roldan Lictao (left) and his wife Elaine are living every parent's worst nightmare. Photo / Supplied

July 26

"A heck of a moment".

That's how Hayden Wilde's Olympic bronze medal win was described.

His family, fans and former coaches said the "massive" achievement was well-earned and had put triathlon "back into the spotlight".

The Whakatāne athlete, who now calls Tauranga home, brought home New Zealand's first medal of the Tokyo 2020 games in the men's triathlon. It was a medal an emotional Wilde dedicated to his dad.

Full story here.

Bronze medalist Hayden Wilde of Team New Zealand reacts as he crosses the finish line during the Men's Individual Triathlon on day three of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Photo / Getty Images